Driving High: New Study Detects Cognitive Risks Associated With Driving While Under the Influence of Cannabis

Blog Written by Impirica

Quick Summary

• The Colorado School of Public Health conducted a study on the cognitive risks of driving under the influence of cannabis. They used Vitals Mobile, developed by Impirica, to assess the effects of cannabis on driving abilities.    

•  Vitals Mobile detected behavioural differences among three groups: control group, occasional cannabis users, and chronic cannabis users. Occasional users showed slower reaction times in a simple task, while chronic users displayed slower reaction times in a complex judgment task.  

• Vitals Mobile, as a cause-agnostic assessment tool, has proven its worth in identifying increased driving risk associated with both occasional and chronic cannabis use. It continues to be effective in assessing impairment and promoting safer roads.  

[EDMONTON, AB – July 19, 2023] The Colorado School of Public Health has published cutting-edge research on the risks associated with driving under the influence of cannabis. The study utilized Impirica’s trusted impairment risk assessment, Vitals Mobile (Vitals), to assess the effects of cannabis on driving abilities.     

The study, titled “A Latent Variable Analysis of Psychomotor and Neurocognitive Performance After Acute Cannabis Smoking”, was conducted at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. It involved participants who use cannabis occasionally or daily, as well as a control group of non-users.  

Using Vitals, the study revealed that occasional users exhibited slower reaction times in a simple task, while chronic users demonstrated slower reaction times in a complex judgment task. These findings highlight the risks associated with driving under the influence of cannabis, particularly for chronic users. 

“This exciting milestone in Impirica’s journey reinforces and confirms what we, at Impirica, along with other thought leaders, have long hypothesized,” said P-J Barclay, CEO of Impirica.  The insights gained from this study are crucial for successfully navigating a world with legalized cannabis and are vital to the ongoing evolution of our solution suite, enabling us to provide the market with the most advanced proactive impairment risk measurement tools. We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone involved in this project, whose dedication and expertise ensured the highest quality of research.” 

This research study contributes significantly to addressing the safety concerns associated with whether a person is at risk to drive while using cannabis.   

Vitals, developed by Impirica, is an impairment risk assessment tool designed to provide insight into a driver’s fitness for duty based on their cognitive and functional abilities to drive.   

For more information about Vitals Mobile visit Cognitive-Impairment-Testing

For more information about the study:  https://www.publications.sciences.ucf.edu/cannabis/index.php/Cannabis/article/view/156